Casing and connector assembly for an electrical unit



July 23, 1940. R, VERNON 2,209,213

CASING AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRICAL UNIT Filed June 1, 1958r (ID 50 T Q Z) I 3 .5 @210 w QWQ Q; 2 as H A 615056516 VERNON,INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 23 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE George B.Vernon, Chicago, 111., assignor to Bendix Radio Corporation ApplicationJune 1, 1938, Serial No. 211,128

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a casing and connector assembly for anelectrical unit, and deals more particularly with a connector by whichequipment within a casing is electrically connected with the severalconductors of a cable.

An object of the invention is to provide a casing and connector assemblyfor an electrical unit in which multiple electrical connections are madesimultaneously with the closure of the casing.

A further object is to provide easily operable means for engaging anddisengaging the electrical contacts within the casing.

Another object is to provide a connector structure which will permit theconvenient connection of conductors thereto and which may be easilydemounted for testing or replacement.

Another important object is to provide a casing and connector asemblywhich will readily permit the substitution of auxiliary electricalequipment where a number of electrical conductors must be connected anddisconnected.

It is very important in many kinds of electrical units, that the coverbe easily removable so that tests or replacements may be made. I! theequipment housed in the casing is mounted to the bottom of the casingand the cover is made removable, it then becomes necessary that theknobs and control levers on the front face of the casing and necessaryfor the operation of such units, be removable; and in such case there isalways the inconvenience or removing such control members when thecasing cover is removed as well as the necessity of resetting thesemembers when the cover is again replaced. The attaehment of theequipment to the cover of the casing has been heretofore renderedimpracticable because of the necessity of making and breaking electricalconnection with the cable conductors inside the casing enclosure.

In the improved structure of this invention, I provide two connectorparts which are adapted to engage each other to make multiple electricalconnections, and mount one of these parts on the base of the casing andthe other on the casing cover, so that when the casing is broughttogether to enclose the electrical equipment, the necessary electricalconnections are made at the same time.

For facilitating the engagement of the multiple contacts I provide ascrew member operable from the front of the casing which serves to openand close the casing as well as to engage and disengage the electricalcontacts.

The requirements for convenience in makin tests and replacements has ledto a novel construction of the connector block or contact-carryingmember which will be more apparent after the following detaileddescription.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which- 5 Figure 1 is a plan view of a controlunit including the improvements of this invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view partly in section, the section beingtaken as indicated at line 2--2 of Figure 1; 10

Figure 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view showing the parts indisengaged condition, the section being taken as in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of one connector part, the view beingtaken as seen from line 44 15 of Figure 3.

As illustrated, A designates the base part of the casing; B, the coverpart of the casing; C, the block or socket portion of the connector; andD, the plug portion of the connector. 20

The base part A of the casing may comprise a bottom plate l0 which hasupturned edges li extending a short distance above the plate l0. As seenin Figure 2, one of edges Il may be provided with an enlarged por- 25tion I2 containing an opening into which a cable I3 is fitted andattached. Any suitable method may be provided for mounting the base A ata desired location. It may be permanently mounted to same fixed objectif desired. 30

Attached to thebottom plate in are the four posts it which are placed inrectangular arrangement and have their bottom ends peened fast to theplate ill or may be secured by any other suitable means. At their upperportions these 35 posts are provided with reduced extensions i5 whichhave apertures I6 extending transversely through their upper ends. Alsosecured to the base plate I0 is the piece H which is tapped to receivethe screw member later to be described. 40 The tapped piece I1 ispreferably located centrally of the posts M.

The connector part C comprises a block it of insulating material and isprovided with internal parallel bores i9 into which are received thesock- 46 et contact elements 20. The elements 20 extend upwardly intobores l9 and are provided with rearwardly-facing shoulders M. Aretaining plate 22 having a peripheral contour corresponding with therearward face of block I8 is adapted to slide laterally across thisface, its slots 23 receiving reduced portions 2la formed adjacent therearward ends of the socket elements therein.

This retaining plate engages the shoulders de-' 56 elements and in thisway holds these elements in place within the block.

Since the retaining plate is slotted and necessarily must have its'oneedge broken in several places, this plate should be supported at leastalong the broken edge. To provide this support, the supporting plates 26are placed rearwardly of the-retaining plate and at opposite edges ofthe connector part. At their central portions plates 24 are secured byscrews 25 which extend upwardly through the retaining plate and into theblock.

As here shown the block I8 is rectangular in form, and at each of itscorner portions is an opening 26 which extends vertically through thestructure. Each of the plates 22 and 24 are provided with openingsregistering with openings 26. When the connector part is mounted on theposts it, the reduced extensions l5 of these posts are received upwardlythrough openings 26, the supporting plates 25 resting on the shouldersof posts I! at the base of extensions I5.

At the upper portion of the block l3, each of its corner portions arecut away leaving the recesses 21 into which the upper ends of theextensions l5 protrude. It is preferable that the The cover B of thecasing may comprise the front plate or panel 36 which has the downwardlyturned edges 3! forming the sides of the casing. Mounted on the interiorof the cover B is the electrical equipment being housed. As shown in theillustrations, this equipment includes a meter 32 which has its dialvisible from the front of the panel 30, variable resistors 33 which arecontrolled by knobs 33 on the front of the panel, and a switch 34 whichis controlled by the lever 34*- on the front of the panel.

It should be understood, however, that the invention is in no waylimited to any particular type of equipment or means of control, but maybe used in combination with any equipment which is to be housed in thismanner.

Attached to the panel 30 and extending downwardly are the posts 35 whichare provided at their lower ends with threaded extensions. A connectormember or plate 36 made of insulating material has openings therein intowhich these threaded extensions are received, and the nuts 31 turnedonto these extensions secure the member 36 to posts 35. Carried on plate36 are the plug contacts 31 which are rounded at their lower ends andpositioned to make engagement with the socket elements 20 carried in theblock l8. If desired, two or more of these plug contacts 31, as well asthe corresponding ones of the socket elements 20 may be of larger size,so that the connector parts may be easily installed at the correctangular position to eliminate the danger of getting one part turned withthe consequent scrambling of connections.

As illustrated in Figure 2, each of the plug contacts 31 may have theirupper ends connected as by conductors 38 with various of the resistorsand switches according to the nature of the unit 2,209,213 nned by thereduced portions 2Ia of the socket employed. The ends of conductors 38may be conveniently soldered to the upper ends of plug elements 31.Similarly the lower ends of the socket contacts 26 may have the ends ofthe cable wires 39 soldered to their lower ends.

The connector member 36, block l3, and retaining plate 22 are providedwith registering central openings through which extends the screw member40. Preferably, this screw member is located at about the center of thecontact grouping so that force exerted by this screw member will beabout equally distributed to each .of the plug and socket contacts. Thehead of screw 40 is on the exterior or front of panel 30 and is easilyoperable by means of a screwdriver.

However, if so desired, a' knob or lever arm may be attached to thismember so that it may easily be turned by hand. Immediately beneath thepanel 36 a small collar 8| is secured to screw 40 and serves to preventlongitudinal movement of the screw with respect to the panel. The lowerend of screw 40 is threaded and adapted to engage the tapped hole in thepiece l1.

In the construction illustrated, three other screws 50 are provided formaking the cover secure with the base after the parts are once inposition. These screws have their heads on the front side of the paneland extend downwardly at the edges of the casing through openings inguides or stop pieces 5| on the casing sides 3|, and into threadedengagement with the bosses 52 on the base part of the casing.

In the assembly of the improved structure, the cover part B is placedover the base part A so that the screw member 40 extends downwardlythrough the central openings in the block part of the connector. If thenthe sides 3| of the cover are aligned to fit over the edges ll of thebase, the registry of the plug contacts with the socket contacts'isassured. The lower end of the screw member 40 will engage the tappedpiece I 1 on the casing base, and when the head of member 40 is turnedas with a screwdriver,

the plug contacts are forced down into the resilient socket contacts atthe same time the cover is brought into engagement with the base and ismade to form a closed housing. When the screw member 40 has been turnedsufficiently to bring the plugs into complete engagement with the socketelements, the screw 40 is tightened, and the casing and connector arethus held firmly in place.

When the casing parts are completely brought together, the stop pieces5| will rest upon the upturned edges ll of the base part, and when thescrews 50 are tightened, the edges of the casing are held firmly inplace. Where the casing is large and intended for housing equipment ofgreater bulk, a larger number of screw members 5| may be necessary,while in other smaller constructions, these screws might be omittedentirely.

To remove the cover part from the base part, it is necessary only tofirst loosen screws 5|, and then turn-the screw 40 so as to remove itfrom the tapped piece l1. The collar 4| on screw 40 engages the underside of the cover and lifts it, together with the connector plugelements, upwardly of the base. This action serves to open the casing atthe same time that the plug ele ments are removed from the socketelements.

The easy removal and replacement of the cover as above described makesthis construction particularly convenient for inspection or testing ofthe equipment housed in the casing. It will be observed that after thecover has been removed, each of the switches, resistors, etc., are fullyexposed, so that there is easy access for testing or replacement of anypieces. Also it is clear that the cover and the equipment mountedtherein may be easily removed to a laboratory for testing withoutdisturbing the base part of the box or the connection to the cable.

If desired, some of the electrical equipment may be mounted to the baseportion 'of the casing, while other pieces may be mounted to the coveras here shown; and in this case, the improved assembly of this inventionprovides for the making and breaking of multiple connections between theequipment pieces in conjunction with the opening and closing of thecasing.

To test or inspect the socket elements in the connector block l8, thewire 28 may be pulled from the post extensions l5, and the blocktogether with retaining ,plate 22 and supporting plates 24, removed fromthe top of the posts. The supporting plates 24 are removed by turningout the screws 25, and with these plates off, the retaining plate 22 maybe moved endwise off the block to allow any or all of the socketelements to be removed from the bores of the block.

If desired, the screws 25 may be omitted, for when the connector part ismounted on the posts M, the engagement of the post extensions withregistering openings in the retaining plate serve to lock the plateagainst removal. Also the engagement of the posts with the supportingplates serves to maintain these plates in position to properly supportand hold the retaining plate against the block member.

The means for securing the block l8 upon the posts i4 is in the presentembodiment a single wire piece. This presents an advantage in that itcan be removed from all posts with a single action, and also in that itrequires but small recesses 21 for its insertion and removal from theposts. Other means, such as nuts engaging the upper ends of the postextensions might be used for securing the block, but this means wouldrequire the removal of each of the nuts separately .to dismount thestructure.

As before stated, some of the plug contacts 31 may be larger and longerthan the others. In some cases these longer contact members providebetter operation in that they make engagement with their respectivesocket elements first and serve in the nature of a guide for the otherplug elements.

While I have shown but a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious that other embodiments may be constructed, and that many changesmay be made in the details of construction without departing from thespiritof the invention. The foregoing detailed description has beengiven for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessarylimitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claimsshould be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a casing having two separable parts, mounting postson each of "said parts, a connector block formed of insulating materialand secured to the posts on one of said parts, said block containing aplurality of socket contacts, a connector member formed of insulatingmaterial and secured to the posts on the other of said parts, saidmember carrying thereon a plurality of plug contacts adapted to engagesaid socket contacts when said casing parts are moved toward each other,and a screw member having its head portion on the exterior of saidcasing and being provided with a shoulder facing said head and engagingthe inner side of one of said .parts, said screw extending through thecentral portion of said connector block and threadedly engaging theother of said parts, said screw member being effective to urge saidparts together upon being turned in one direction and apart when turnedin a reverse direction whereby said plug contacts are brought into andout of engagement with said socket contacts.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, a connector block ofsubstantially rectangular form and of insulating material, said blockhaving a plurality of parallel bores containing removable socketelements, said elements each having a shoulder facing rearwardly of saidblock, a retaining plate containing parallel slots into which saidelements may be received as said plate is moved laterally into positionon the rear face of said block, saidelements being held in place throughengagement of said shoulders with said plate, and end supporting platesrearward of said retaining plate and at opposite edges of said block,said supporting plates being secured to said block for clamping saidplate in position adjacent said block.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, a casing for housingelectrical equipment therein and including a cover part and a base part,said base part having attached thereto upwardly projecting posts havingreduced upper extensions apertured at their top ends, a connector blockformed of insulating material and having openings therein for receivingsaid extensions, said block having parallel bores there-through andhaving socket contact elements received within said bores, a slottedretaining plate adjacent the lower face of said block and serving tohold said elements within said bores, end supporting plates at oppositeedges of said block, said retaining plate and said supporting plateshaving openings therethrough registering with said openings in theblock, said reduced extensions of said posts being received through theopenings in said plates and block and being provided with wire extendedthrough said apertures for locking said block to said posts, a secondset of mounting posts attached to said cover part and extendingdownwardly therefrom, a connector member formed of insulating materialand secured to the'lower ends of said second set of mounting posts, plugcontacts carried on said connector member and adapted to engage saidsocket contacts, a tapped socket on said base part, and a screw memberhaving a head on the upper side of said cover and extending downwardlyand centrally through said block to threadedly engage said tappedsocket, said screw member being effective upon being turned in onedirection to urge said casing parts together and at the same time bringsaid plug contacts into engagement with said socket elements.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, a frame structure, mountingposts secured to said structure and having reduced end extensions, aconnector block having parallel bores therein, said block havingopenings adapted to receive said end extensions, socket contact elementswithin said bores, a retaining plate adjacent the rear- ,ward face ofsaid block and having slots extending inward from the periphery of saidplate 7 for receiving the rearward ends of said elements as said plateis moved laterally into position, said elements being held within saidbores by said retaining plate, asupporting plate adjacent the slottededge portion of said retaining plate, said retaining plate andsupporting plate having openings therein registering with said openingsin the block, said end extensions being received through the openings insaid plates and; block, and means en ging said end) extensions forlocking said extensions in said. openings. GEORGE R. VERNON.

